A little less Bob and a lot more Hope!

Prequels and sequels have a mixed history. I prefer the latter, because if I’m into a story I like to see it continued rather than reversed.

Rings of Power (Amazon Prime, Wednesday), a Lord of the Rings prequel of sorts, is back for a second series, with the first three episodes ‘dropped’ already. I nodded off during the first two episodes, once when I was tired and once when I wasn’t. It’s all a bit turgid and ponderous with great big wads of awkward but occasionally poetic dialogue. It lacks a lighter touch, a bit of whimsy, though you get just a little of that with the Dwarves and the Harfoots (Hobbit-like individuals with an inexplicable Irish accent). The names of the characters are confusing if you’re not thoroughly immersed in the Tolkien mythologies, while the interweaving plots do meander somewhat. On the plus side, the special effects are impressive and it improves matters to watch it on a big screen with big sound.

You might find some religious undertones – e.g. there’s a rather bloody crowning of thorns type scene, followed by a resurrection of sorts with someone disappearing from within their outfit. Some characters look like Jesus, or at least like the image of Jesus we are conditioned to expect from classical art and other films and TV dramas. In one scene an alleged messenger of God makes a rather dramatic appearance that certainly evokes iconic religious imagery.

Theme-wise, there’s the familiar struggle between good and evil, most interesting when it’s within some of the characters. Sometimes characters do the wrong thing while trying in good faith to do what’s right. There’s an interesting discussion about making choices for good over evil, a choice we’re told we must make every day. A character is encouraged to leave behind his evil ways and follow the path of good. There’s a topical discussion on what attitude one should have towards good art if the artist was immoral. I’ll keep watching as the show is tolerable – maybe there are some stand-out episodes to come.

I wasn’t expecting to find some religiously themed drama in Reeling in the Years (RTÉ One, Thursday), which highlighted 1980, but there was a bit – Dermot Morgan being Father Trendy (on The Live Mike) before the Father Ted days. Fr Trendy was a gentler, more innocent, character and his metaphor laden sermons were always funny. In this clip he weaponised comedians for the cause – urged us to be a little less Morecombe and a lot more Wise, to have a little less Brendan (ha!) and a lot more Grace, not to sit on our Laurels but to be more Hardy in our religion, and to have a little less Bob and a lot more Hope!

But there were many serious things going on in 1980 – e.g. the murder of Archbishop Romero in El Salavador and the subsequent carnage at his funeral. Bishop Eamonn Casey, back in the news recently, gave a first-hand account of the panic after an explosion and shooting. President Reagan was elected and we were reminded of a better time in US politics. This was the year of the H-Blocks and the hunger strikes – we were told that this ended on the 53rd day after the intervention of Catholic clergy. Then 3 UDR men were blown up by an IRA landmine, bringing the Troubles death toll to 2,000. It’s good to be reminded of the past like this, especially if we can learn lessons.

And finally, some snippets – I watched some of the Kamala Harris interview on CNN. Compared to Donald Trump she was articulate and intelligent, engaging but also irritating. Some answers were too vague and, I’d say, carefully crafted to avoid causing offence. But what sinks her for me is her gung-ho attitude to ‘reproductive rights’ (euphemism for abortion), undermining her talk of welcoming diverse opinions – no way she’s a moderate Democrat on this one.

On Free Speech Nation (GB News, Sunday) Irish psychotherapist Stella O’Malley of Genspect made lots of sense on the transgender issue – e.g. why medicalise gender dysphoria before less invasive approaches are tried? The young may fall for the gender confusion, but, the doctors shouldn’t.

On Apocalypse Maybe (Al Jazeera, Saturday) there was a fascinating discussion on doomsday cults and their ill effects, but the sting in the tail was how some extreme strands in current climate activism were following a similar path – worrying.

PICK OF THE WEEK

POPE FRANCIS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

EWTN Saturday September 7, 8am

Pope Francis visits the children of street ministry, from Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND

Channel 4 Monday September 9, 7.20pm

The Angry Family: The whole family meet the school counsellor and Fr Hubley to uncover what – and who – is to blame for the constant bickering in the Barrone family. (S6 Ep1)